In a landmark event, the University of the Free State (UFS) recently launched the UFS Africa Reparations Hub (ARH), marking a significant milestone in the continent's ongoing quest for reparatory justice. The launch was accompanied by a high-level hybrid colloquium centred on the theme Unifying Africa for Action to Advance Reparatory Justice.

A vision realised

The establishment of the ARH, housed within the Faculty of Law's Department of Public Law, aligns with the UFS Vision 130, demonstrating the university's commitment to fostering dialogue on Africa's reparation. The hub supports a coherent reparation strategy for the continent. It aims to anchor the Africa reparation strategy, host a panel of reparation experts and provide a comprehensive database on reparations.

Khanya Motshabi, Senior Lecturer in Public Law and the event’s Programme Director, opened the proceedings by welcoming delegates from across the globe, emphasising the timeliness and importance of the hub's mission. “This colloquium launch of the UFS Africa Reparation Hub is indeed exciting and auspicious. The theme, Unifying Africa for Action to Advance Reparatory Justice, is an idea whose time has come,” Motshabi remarked.

A global perspective

Prof Serges Kamga, Dean of the Faculty of Law at UFS, delivered the welcome address, highlighting the need for unity in addressing Africa’s historical and contemporary injustices. “This colloquium is a platform to move the discourse forward, to learn from other disciplines, and to create and collaborate to discover solutions to the pressing issues of reparations in Africa and beyond.”

The colloquium featured a keynote address by Prof Verene Shepherd, Director of the Centre for Reparations Research at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. Prof Shepherd, a renowned historian and Vice-Chair of the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, brought a wealth of experience and perspective to the discussion.

“Any hub focused on reparatory justice that is located within a university, whether in the Americas or Africa must be grounded in a clearly articulated philosophy and rationale for its work. This rationale must be located within the context of conquest, colonial rule built on racial superiority, ethnic hierarchising, racial discrimination, apartheid and post-independence legacies. There is a debt that needs to be paid for the impact of the apartheid experience – a cruel manifestation of colonialism which manifested itself in this philosophy that holds one race superior and another inferior. Seeking repair for colonialism must influence this search for justice and be at the foreground of the work of the hub,” said Prof Shepherd.

The event also featured a distinguished panel, including Martin Okumu-Masiga (Secretary-General of the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum) who brought a legal perspective to the discourse; Dr Ahmed Bugri (Senior Expert and Coordinator for Reparatory Justice and Racial Healing at the African Union (AU) who discussed the AU’s role in supporting reparatory justice initiatives; as well as Prof Kula Theletsane (Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Affairs in the Southern African Development Community) who explored regional dynamics in the push for reparations. Dr Catherine Namakula, Convenor of the UFS Africa Reparations Hub, moderated the session, guiding the conversation towards actionable strategies for advancing reparations and fostering racial healing across Africa.

Future endeavors

The quest for reparations for past and present injustices in Africa has gained considerable traction, with significant milestones including the AU resolution advocating a united front and the UN recommendations for addressing legacies of systemic racism and discrimination. The hub seeks to build on these foundations by facilitating uncensored dialogue and collaboration on the reparation’s agenda.

The ARH's forthcoming initiatives include the preparation of a comprehensive database of reparations information and resources, the assembly of a Panel of Experts on Africa Reparations, and the publication of an edited book titled: Guiding Principles for Africa’s Reparations. Additionally, the hub has already begun hosting seminars to further the conversation on reparatory justice.